Cruise ship jobs come in all shapes and sizes. Cruise ships have many needs to fill when thinking about how to best service and entertain their guests. One role that is often overlooked is that of becoming a guest lecturer. Guest lecturers assist cruise lines in providing guests with enrichment programs and opportunities.
The need for quality guest lecturers can be large at times depending on the type of cruise being offered. Speakers and lecturers need to have “‘hands on’ knowledge and excellent interpersonal and communications skills”. Lecturers need experience to successfully get a job on a cruise line, as these positions are considered especially critical to the success of many enrichment programs.
In addition to understanding the subject matter they are speaking about, guest lecturers need to be able to give effective and compelling presentations, interact well with cruise staff and guests, and meet the expectations of the cruise lines they are working for. There are many subject areas covered and many topics available for individuals interested in being a guest lecturer. Although the subjects and topics vary, guest lecturer jobs on cruise ships can be broken down into three main categories.
The first of these is the role of destination speaker. A destination speaker is responsible for developing and delivering an original and compelling series of presentations on various aspects of the cruise ships destinations. Topics would include information on the “culture, history, geography, anthropology, wildlife, marine life and politics of the regions, countries and ports of call on a given cruise itinerary.”
The second main category of guest speakers would fall under the general heading of special interest. Speakers would be hired to present information on their areas of expertise to cruise guests. This category is the most broad as many topics could be considered relevant depending on the cruise line, focus of the cruise, and the activities scheduled for the cruise. Topics could potentially cover everything from theatre to dance, art to movies, arts and crafts to child rearing, and fashion to self-improvement. There is virtually no limit to the types of topics a cruise line might consider for special interest.
The final category is the most specific category for cruise ships: port / shopping lecturer. This guest speaker needs to have intimate knowledge of the ports of call a cruise ship goes to and they need to be able to recommend shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to the ships guest. These speakers need to be in contact with local places of interest and be aware of changing trends and opportunities.
Anyone interested in becoming a guest lecturer on a cruise ship should look at the itinerary of the cruise line they are interested in working for and contact that cruise line directly to find out what speaking positions they are looking to fill. Individuals may also want to approach a cruise line with a speaking proposal that highlights their area of expertise, potential speaking topics, and how their lecture would be an asset to what the cruise ship already has to offer.
For more information about guest lecturer openongs on specific cruise lines, if you have a specific cruise line in mind, you may locate the cruise lines’ OFFICIAL website by visiting the Ships and Cruises Directory for official listings at www.shipsandcruises.com.
For more information about all types of jobs on cruise ships visit Cruise Ship Jobs online. Here, you can download the 2010 cruise ship employment guide; you can read through cruise line profiles; you can find out which ships are hiring and for what positions — and you can even apply for a cruise ship job right online. Please note that this website charges a fee. You can apply for a job on your own, free of charge, sign up with a placement agency, or use Cruise Ship Jobs’ service.